Beehives are commonly maintained to produce honey and/or to assist in the pollination of local crops. The great majority of hives used throughout North America, and indeed throughout the world, are based on the Langstroth hive (as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 9,300). In essence, the hive is a box, or a stack of boxes, which is usually set on the ground, and which has openings for ingress and egress of bees. Rectangular frames are hung within the boxes from near the box tops, and these are strategically spaced to promote bees' manufacture of combs within the frames. Frames can then be removed when desired to harvest the honey, or to move bees and larvae to new hives.
Beekeeping has unfortunately grown in difficulty in the last few years as parasites, diseases, and syndromes such as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) have spread. This has led to decreased honey yields, and greater difficulty in attaining the desired level of plant pollination. In many areas of the United States, it now takes significant maintenance and effort to keep hives healthy. This has unfortunately led to further declines in bee populations as beekeepers leave the field owing to the costs and difficulty involved. Thus, there is a significant need for hives and hive maintenance techniques which promote bee colony health and production.